NewzIntel.com

Category: Justice

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement From Congressman Dan Goldman on Trump Administration’s Termination of Grants to Vera Institute of Justice

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    “The Trump Administration’s decision to terminate five federal grants to the Vera Institute for Justice, including ones already designated for mental health crisis response, violence reduction, and resources for survivors of domestic violence, constitutes a direct assault on our most vulnerable communities and every New Yorker’s public safety.  

    “The Vera Institute engages in critical work in New York City and cities nationwide to reduce crime and recidivism that make our communities safer. Their efforts safeguard immigrant and low-income Americans, support survivors of domestic violence and victims of crimes, bolster public safety through mental health programs, facilitate important law enforcement trainings, and increase access to affordable housing for formerly incarcerated people.  

    “By cutting funding for essential public safety programs that serve diverse communities across New York City, the Trump administration is undermining the safety and security of our city in order to pay for massive tax breaks for billionaires. 

    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are unlawfully cutting critical government programs that New Yorkers and Americans depend upon based on random keyword searches so that they can personally benefit from our federal government. I urge the Trump administration to immediately reinstate these funds so that the Vera Institute can pursue its mission of making our country safer.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash, SH1 Tirau

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    One person has died after a two-vehicle crash on SH1 near Tirau late last night.

    Emergency services were called to the scene about 10.40pm.

    Sadly one person died at the scene.

    The Serious Crash Unit has examined the scene and enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Miramar homicide investigation

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Detective Inspector Nick Pritchard:

    Police continue to make steady progress in the investigation into the homicide of 63-year-old Abdul Nabizadah, who was found critically injured in Camperdown Rd, Miramar at 2.20am on Monday 17 March.

    Mr Nabizadah later died in Wellington Hospital from injuries Police believe were received while being assaulted and robbed at this location at around 12.30am.

    The investigation team are continuing to gather evidence of the events of the evening and are establishing a good understanding of what occurred.

    The investigation has established a link between the homicide and an aggravated burglary that occurred at a nearby Darlington Road address at about 2am, when a man was found by homeowners inside their house. Police have arrested a man alleged to be responsible for this burglary and he is due to appear in the Wellington District Court on 17 April.

    During the examination of the Camperdown Road scene Police located a woman’s large size Mirrou brand zip-up jacket with white stripes on the arms. It was found discarded on the walkway leading from Camperdown Road to Nevay Road. Police want to speak to the owner of this jacket to determine if it is connected in any way to the incidents of that night.

    The investigation team have previously sought information about a silver Mazda 6 vehicle seen on several occasions in the Miramar area on the night of the incidents.

    Following assistance from members of the public the investigation team have now identified this vehicle and believe it is connected to the two incidents. Police now urgently want to speak to the driver and occupants of this car on the night of the incidents and we encourage them to make contact with us.

    We are actively looking for a number of people who we know have relevant information and encourage them, along with anyone else that has relevant information, to contact us as soon as possible.

    If you have any information that could help the investigation team, please update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 250317/6324, or reference Operation Celtic.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Supporting Our International Students and Scholars

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    To the University Community,

    UConn prides itself on being both one of Connecticut’s greatest assets and a global university. We attract outstanding students from our state as well as students, faculty, and staff from more than 100 other countries to engage in world-class research and scholarship in our state. UConn faculty, staff, and students contribute to Connecticut’s future and help to change the world for the better through advances and innovation in a multitude of fields.

    As a follow-up to last week’s message on immigration resources and information: You may be aware of recent reports of student visa revocations and SEVIS record terminations disrupting the lives and academic careers of international students and scholars in the U.S.

    These actions have touched UConn as well, and while the number of impacted students here is small, consequences for those impacted are significant. UConn, through its International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) unit, monitors the SEVIS records of our international students and visiting scholars on F and J visas daily, auditing records for any changes initiated by external government officials.

    At the first sign of a change, the ISSS will email the student or visiting scholar to inform them of the update and ask them to visit the Center for International Student and Scholar Services (CISS) to meet with a staff member who can connect the student to legal resources and university support services.

    ISSS will also notify the student or scholar’s department head and dean so that the student’s academic unit can provide appropriate support. Each student or visiting scholar’s situation is unique, and support for each case is coordinated through ISSS in collaboration with many campus partners, including the Dean of Students Office, The Graduate School, the Division of Student Life and Enrollment, the Cultural Centers, academic deans, and department heads.

    UConn Health’s International Office administers a separate SEVIS program and will follow similar procedures. To date, no cases have impacted international students and scholars at UConn Health.

    Our university units are working together to prepare our campuses and respond as quickly as possible to this rapidly evolving situation. In February, UConn established a rapid response team to address immigration policy changes impacting our community. The team is co-chaired by Rae Alexander, Assistant Vice President for Global Affairs, and Fany DeJesus Hannon, Dean of Students. It includes representation from the Office of the General Counsel, The Graduate School, the Division of Student Life and Enrollment, University Communications, and UConn Police.

    We understand that there are multiple conversations happening on campus about this important issue. We invite you to send your inquiries to Rae Alexander, rae.alexander@uconn.edu, to ensure your questions and concerns reach the team.

    You may be asking what you can do at this time:

    • International students and visiting scholars can visit the Center for International Students & Scholars website for updated guidance on travel concerns and emerging trends related to their immigration status, and to connect with international advising staff who can provide individualized guidance.
    • Undocumented students can reach out to the Dean of Students Office and view the Undocumented Student Resources
    • General student support is also available from the Dean of Students Office and The Graduate School.
    • UConn employees who have questions about their employment-based visa sponsorship can reach out to Alison Cutler or Christene Cooper in Human Resources.
    • The International Office at UConn Health is responsible for all visas for international students and staff/faculty employed through UConn Health. Reach out to Kaitlin Dornenburg, Department of Human Resources, for assistance.
    • All UConn faculty and staff can reach out to Rae Alexander, Assistant Vice President for Global Affairs, with general questions or concerns about changing immigration policies and their impact on our community.

    We also want to remind students of the mental health support services available to them:

    International students at UConn Health:

    International students at UConn Storrs and the regional campuses:

    International employees, including graduate assistants represented by the GEU at UConn Storrs and regional campuses:

    International employees at UConn Health:

    Finally, we encourage everyone to bookmark the new Legal Resources and Community Partners webpage, which will be updated as information and resources are confirmed.

    If you have not been directly impacted by what has been happening in the U.S., now is the time to check in on your friends and fellow Huskies who may be feeling scared and isolated. Now is the time for us as a community to support each other.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shapiro-Davis Administration and Statewide Advocates Highlight Victims’ Rights Week, Governor Shapiro’s Proposed $9 Million Investment in Victim Compensation

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    April 10, 2025 – Harrisburg, PA

    Shapiro-Davis Administration and Statewide Advocates Highlight Victims’ Rights Week, Governor Shapiro’s Proposed $9 Million Investment in Victim Compensation

    In honor of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and Office of Victim Advocate, teamed up with statewide victim advocacy organizations to highlight the importance of supporting survivors, raising awareness of their rights, and Governor Shapiro’s proposed $9 million investment in the Victims Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP) in the 2025-26 state budget.

    National Crime Victims’ Rights Week highlights the importance of ensuring that victims of crime receive the support, protection, and justice they deserve. Last year, over 323,000 Pennsylvanians were victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, gun violence, assault, human trafficking, homicide, and other crimes.

    “Ensuring that victims are informed, respected, and supported throughout their healing journey is our top priority. No crime victim should have to worry about paying for medical care, no family should face the stress of funeral costs, and no survivor of sexual assault should have to choose between healing and financial hardship,” said Kathy Buckley, Director of PCCD’s Office of Victims’ Services. “This week is about making sure victims know their rights-including their right to financial support to help through some of their most difficult times.”

    Speakers Include:
    Kathy Buckley, Director of the Office of Victims’ Services, PCCD
    Suzanne Estrella, Pennsylvania Victim Advocate
    Rebecca Buckham, Communications Manager, Children’s Advocacy Centers of PA (PennCAC)
    Gabriella Romeo, Public Policy Director, PA Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR)
    Jenna Mehnert Baker, Policy Director, PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two New Orleans Men Indicted for Bank Robbery and Possession of Stolen Vehicle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KAILUS JAMES (“JAMES”), age29, and CEDRIC MAY (“MAY”), age 31, were charged on April 4, 2025, in a three-count indictment, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Count 1 charged them with conspiracy to commit bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Count 2 charged them with bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2113(a) and (d), and 2. Count 3 charged them with possession of a stolen vehicle, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2313 and 2.

    According to the indictment, on or about March 15, 2025, JAMES and MAY stole approximately $98,320.00 of United States currency, belonging to and in the care, custody, control, management, and possession of a JP Morgan Chase Bank, in New Orleans.

    If convicted, JAMES and MAY face a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release, for Count 1; up to 25 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release for Count 2; and up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 3.  JAMES and MAY also face a payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to all three counts.

    Acting United States Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crime Task Force, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Browning attorney arraigned on sex abuse charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS – A Browning attorney accused of sexual assault appeared today for arraignment, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    The defendant, Nathan Nicholas Johnson St. Goddard, 44, of Browning, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact, and making a false statement. If convicted of the most serious crime, St. Goddard faces life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. St. Goddard was released on conditions pending further proceedings.

    The indictment alleges that on June 22, 2024, St. Goddard knowingly engaged in sexual acts with Jane Doe by using force and threatening and placing Jane Doe in fear, and without Jane Doe’s consent. Additionally, the indictment alleges he made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation to the FBI.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services, and Glacier County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

    The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    PACER case reference. 25-25.

    The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prince George drug trafficker sentenced to over 12 years in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RICHMOND, Va. – A Prince George man was sentenced today to 12 years and seven months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    According to court documents, on April 1, 2024, law enforcement searched the residence of Robert Damian Atkins, 39, based on prior controlled purchases of narcotics. During the search, detectives recovered $10,625; an electronic money counter; a shotgun; three semi-automatic pistols; multiple firearms magazines, including a drum magazine; and multiple boxes of ammunition. During a search of Atkins’ vehicle, detectives recovered another pistol and a backpack that contained 191 grams of fentanyl, 112 grams of methamphetamine, 84 grams of cocaine, two digital scales, and a magazine for the firearm. In the trunk of the vehicle, officers located a bag containing multiple firearm cartridges.

    An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) arranged to take Atkins into custody on his federal warrant after his court appearance in Prince George County General District Court on Oct. 7, 2024. After learning of his impending arrest, Atkins fled the courthouse and cut off his GPS ankle monitor. Law enforcement located Atkins later that day in Chesterfield and took him into custody.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Washington Field Division; and Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. The Prince George County Police Department assisted in the investigation.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-158.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: April Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments Announced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the April Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Jesus Sebastian Herrera Chavez. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Chavez, 21, a Mexican National, is charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was an alien illegally in the United States. Further, Chavez intentionally assaulted someone with a firearm. The ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-125

    Jimmie Leroy Cox, Jr. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Cox, 63, of Fairland, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. Cox is also charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine. Additionally, Cox knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-110

    Victor Hubert Dominguez-Castro. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Dominguez-Castro, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Sep. 2016. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-116

    Leonard Ray Ellis. Robbery in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary. Ellis, 40, of Inola and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with taking property of value by force and violence. He is further charged with breaking into an occupied home intending to commit a crime. The FBI and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-111

    Ryan Leon French; Lexie Renee French. Production of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Ryan French, 46, and Lexie French, 42, of Tulsa, are charged with coercing a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of child sexual abuse material. Ryan French is further charged with possessing videos depicting child sexual abuse material. The FBI, the Tulsa Police Department, the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Dewhurst is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-117

    Maria Gabriela Labrada Rico. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rico, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Nov. 2018. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-118

    Robert Nicholas Long. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor;Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography; Commission of Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender. Long, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to coerce and entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity and knowingly receiving and distributing visual images and videos that depict the sexual abuse of children. He is further charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. As a registered sex offender, Long committed a felony involving a minor child. The Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-132

    Pablo Lopez-Ramirez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lopez-Ramirez, 44, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2013. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-119

    Joshua Clay Murphy. Threatening to Assault and Murder a Former Federal Law Enforcement Officer with Intent to Retaliate; Threatening to Assault and Murder Immediate Family Members of a Former Federal Law Enforcement Officer with Intent to Retaliate; Threatening to Assault and Murder Federal Law Enforcement Officers with Intent to Impede, Intimidate, Interfere, and Retaliate; Threatening to Assault and Murder Immediate Family Members of Federal Law Enforcement Officers with Intent to Impede, Intimidate, Interfere, and Retaliate. Murphy, 47, of Milfay, is charged with retaliating against a former federal law enforcement officer by threatening to assault and murder the former officer and their family. Further, Murphy knowingly threatened to assault and murder federal law enforcement officers and their families with intent to impede or interfere with the officers’ duties. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-131

    Oscar Najera-De La Cruz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Najera-De La Cruz, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2014. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-120

    Jose Ramon Portillo-Chavez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Portillo-Chavez, 47, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2010. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-121

    Nick Lee Ramirez; Destiny Rayleen Steward. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Ramirez, 39, and Steward, 25, of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. They knowingly possessed methamphetamine and more than 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute and maintained a residence for the purpose of drug distribution. Additionally, they both possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Steward possessed a firearm, knowing she was previously convicted of felonies. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-122

    Raciel Ramirez-Vasquez Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramirez-Vasquez, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2016. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-124

    Dominic Rocky Torres. Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery; Hobbs Act Robbery; Aiding and Abetting Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Torres, 22, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with conspiring with others and aiding and abetting others to obstruct commerce by robbery. Further, he knowingly aided and abetted in brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd and Jessica Wright are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-112

    Jose Pedro Zelaya-Figueroa. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Zelaya-Figueroa, 53, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2011. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-123

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Guilty of Possessing U.S. Postal Service Key to Steal U.S. Mail from Postal Mailboxes and Possession of Stolen Mail

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that WAYNE C. WALKER, age 28, of New Orleans, pled guilty on April 8, 2025 to Unlawful Possession and Use of a United States Postal Service “arrow” key used by Postal Service employees to access authorized mail receptacles, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1704 and, Unlawful Possession of approximately 80 pieces of stolen United States Mail previously deposited into authorized mail receptacles, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1708. 

    According to court documents, on January 26, 2022, WALKER was arrested in possession of the United States Postal Service “arrow” key and the stolen mail.  WALKER faces up to ten (10) years imprisonment for unlawful possession of the United States Postal Service mail key and up to five (5) years imprisonment for possession of stolen mail, both counts to be followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.  U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for July 10, 2025.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Office of the Inspector General and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oklahoma City Trio Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Child Sex Trafficking and Witness Tampering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – ANTWON MONTRELL JACKSON, 43, and SARAH LARAYNA HOLLAND, 39, both of Oklahoma City, have pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit child sex trafficking, and SHANIKKA NICOLE JACKSON, 46, of Las Vegas, Nevada, has pleaded guilty to witness tampering, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On February 20, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged Antwon Jackson and Holland by Second Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking and child sex trafficking. According to the public record, in July 2024, Antwon Jackson was Holland’s pimp, and the two worked together to set up commercial sex acts for both Holland and a minor female, using online advertisements to attract customers. Between July 20, 2024, and July 25, 2024, Holland and the minor engaged in commercial sex dates in multiple cities in the Western District of Oklahoma. Customers would pay for the sex act utilizing CashApp, and the majority of the money went to Antwon Jackson.

    On April 4, 2025, Shanikka Jackson, Antwon Jackson’s sister, was charged by Superseding Information with witness tampering. According to public record, between September 17, 2024, and December 5, 2024, Shanikka Jackson attempted to influence the minor to prevent her from testifying in the pending federal trial of Antwon Jackson.

    Last week, Antwon Jackson and Holland pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Second Superseding Indictment, and admitted they conspired to sex traffic a minor, set up commercial sex dates for the minor, benefited financially from those dates, and that they knew when they trafficked the minor, she was under 18 years old. Holland admitted she posted the online ads and transported the minor to commercial sex dates. Antwon Jackson admitted he directed Holland to post the ads and communicated with potential customers who had responded to the ads for the minor in an effort to set up dates. 

    Today, Shanikka Jackson pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information, and admitted she attempted to pass a message from Antwon Jackson to the victim, to try and influence the victim not to testify against her brother.

    At sentencing, both Antwon Jackson and Holland face up to life in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000 each. Shanikka Jackson faces up to three years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.

    This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Warr Acres Police Department, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bow Bottomly and Elizabeth Joynes are prosecuting the case.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coconut Grove Fine Art Dealer Indicted in Federal Case, Charged with Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Money Laundering Related to Forged Andy Warhol Works

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – Leslie Roberts, 62, of Miami, was charged in a federal court for participating in a conspiracy to sell forged art using fake and fraudulent invoices and authentications. Carlos Miguel Rodriguez Melendez, 37, of Sunny Isles, was also charged for his participation in the wire fraud conspiracy.

    According to allegations in the indictment, Roberts sold art from Miami Fine Art Gallery located in Coconut Grove. Roberts fraudulently represented the art as original pieces created by renowned artist Andy Warhol.  Further, Roberts falsely claimed to victims that he acquired the artwork directly from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and provided fake and fraudulent invoices to the victim.  Rodriguez Melendez falsely represented that he was an employee of a New York-based auction company in order to fraudulently authenticate the artwork in to conceal that the artwork was fake.

    The Indictment also alleges that Roberts engaged in money laundering, transferring wire fraud proceeds from his Miami Fine Art Gallery bank account to a personal bank account. According to the Indictment, Roberts made transactions in the amounts of $150,000, $40,000 and $50,000.

    On April 9, 2025, Roberts and Melendez were arrested by law enforcement and made an initial appearance in federal court (Case No. 25-cr-20142).  Roberts and Melendez were subsequently released on bond. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for April 21.

    If convicted of the wire fraud conspiracy, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison.  If convicted of money laundering, Roberts faces up to 10 years in federal prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

    FBI Art Crime Team and FBI West Palm Beach investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman and Joshua Paster are prosecuting it.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster is handling asset forfeiture. 

    An indictment is merely an allegation, all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20142.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Gets Agreement from Energy Nominees to Pursue “All of the Above” Power Options

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resource (ENR) Committee, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) spoke with Dr. Preston Griffith, the nominee to serve as the Under Secretary of Energy, and Dr. Dario Gil, the nominee to serve as the Under Secretary of Energy for Science, about the need to prioritize energy storage technology as America works toward an “all of the above” energy future, making clear the value of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. During the exchange, Senator King asked the two nominees to commit to further research and development of emerging power technologies to help strengthen grid storage capacity and unlock America’s renewable energy potential.

    “One of the technologies I’m most interested in is storage because we are talking about development of the grid and stabilization of the grid. And I hope that both of you will remain committed to the research and development of storage capacity on the grid because I think that is part of the solution. Do you agree, Dr. Gil,” questioned Senator King.

    “Thank you for the question. Let me also just say since you are representing Maine, that I have a long connection with Maine. My wife and in-laws are from Maine, so I’ve been going for many decades and it’s a pleasure,” replied Dr. Gil.

    “Wonderful. Tell her to tell your in-laws she saw me working,” said Senator King.

    “Will do so. And yes, I completely agree on the importance of storage technology. It is an essential part not only of present electricity systems, but also in the future. I will also point out that within the science portfolio of the Department, we also have a lot of opportunity to accelerate the opportunity for discovery of novel, more safe, and efficient storage technologies. So, the commitment is twofold. It is both a recognition of the importance that storage plays but also that we have to do a lot of discovery to make sure that we can take a very significant leap forward, which we can do by harnessing these capabilities on AI and in the future quantum computing as well,” responded Dr. Gil.

    “Mr. Griffith, I assume you believe storage is a part of all of the above,” asked Senator King.

    “Yes, Senator, absolutely. Thank you for your question. It is the holy grail. We need all energy sources, technology — we need to bring them all to bear to meet this growing demand,” agreed Dr. Griffith.

    As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator King has advocated for climate solutions that deliver on the clean energy potential of the historic Inflation Reduction Act. He has repeatedly emphasized the importance of permitting reform to deliver carefully considered, timely approvals of sorely-needed clean energy projects. Senator King has also been one of the Senate’s most vocal advocates for improving energy storage technologies and development and worked to include significant storage investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. Most recently, Senator King reiterated the importance of an “all of the above” energy policy strategy during an ENR hearing considering the nominations of Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Reintroduces Hammers’ Law to Honor Omaha Natives, Hold Cruise Industry Accountable

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, reintroduced Hammers’ Law to hold the cruise industry accountable for the wrongful deaths of passengers who do not have dependents or income — including children, students, and retirees. In addition to Fischer, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).

    The bill is named for Larry and Christy Hammer of Omaha, who tragically lost their lives in a fire in their cabin onboard a Peruvian river cruise on April 10th, 2016. Today marks the nine-year anniversary of the incident.

    “Nine years ago today, Larry and Christy Hammer tragically and unexpectedly lost their lives because of the negligence of a cruise company. Since then, their bereaved daughters, Jill and Kelly, have endured a frustrating fight for accountability. My Hammers’ Law, named for Larry and Christy, will help prevent future tragedies and give families fairer compensation if tragedy does strike,” 

    said Fischer.

    “A century-old law has prevented families from obtaining fair financial accountability when their loved ones die tragically onboard a cruise ship. Our bipartisan effort will ensure that bad actors in the cruise industry fairly compensate Americans whose family members are killed on their ships – just like an airline does, when something goes wrong on a plane. No amount of money can ever fully compensate a family for this kind of tragic loss, but our measure will help bring about some small measure of justice after a cruise catastrophe,” said Blumenthal.

    “Families like the Hammers deserve justice when loved ones are wrongfully lost at sea. This bipartisan bill ensures that cruise lines are held to the same accountability standards as airlines,” said Ricketts. 

    “Hammers’ Law is a crucial step toward justice and accountability for the countless families who have tragically lost loved ones due to negligence onboard cruise ships. This legislation ensures that no victim’s family is denied the right to seek justice solely because of antiquated laws. Hammers’ Law will extend to cruise passengers the same protections airline passengers have enjoyed for decades, compelling cruise companies to prioritize safety and protecting millions of travelers each year,” said the Hammers’ daughters, Jill Hammer Malott and Kelly Hammer Lankford.

    Background:

    Hammers’ Law would amend an over 100-year-old law, known as the Death on the High Seas Act (DOHSA). Today, the cruise industry uses DOHSA to avoid financial accountability for the wrongful deaths of passengers who do not have dependents or income. These passengers — including children, students, and retirees — account for a significant portion of the 12 million Americans who cruise each year. 

    As retirees, Larry and Christy Hammer did not have financial dependents or wages, so antiquated DOHSA rules restricted the Hammer family from pursuing the accountability that would likely be available for wrongful deaths occurring on dry land. DOHSA was amended in 2000 to allow the same kind of compensation for victims of major airline accidents.

    Passing Hammers’ Law will enable future families to pursue fairer compensation when similar tragedies strike, and it will hold the responsible cruise line accountable by allowing for compensation that more fully reflects the company’s negligence.

    Hammers’ Law was first introduced in 2019. Since then, Fischer has continued to grow support for this legislation, reintroducing it during the 117th Congress and again last Congress. 
     
    Click here to read the full text of the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: While Trump, Republicans, RFK, Jr. Dismantle HHS, Pressley, Warren Re-Introduce Bill to Confront Racism as a Public Health Crisis

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Anti-Racism in Public Health Act Would Require Federal Government to Actively Develop Anti-Racist Health Policy

    Bill Text (PDF)

    WASHINGTON – Today, with Trump and Republicans continuing their coordinated attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and RFK, Jr. dismantling the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including closing the Office of Minority Health, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) are re-introducing the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2025, legislation that would declare racism a public health crisis and require the federal government to actively develop anti-racist health policy. The bill would help expand research and investment into the public health impacts of structural racism through two bold new programs within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    “While Trump and Republicans embolden white supremacy and carry out their coordinated assault on Black, brown, and other marginalized communities, we must continue pushing back and advancing an affirmative, anti-racist agenda that addresses racism as the public health crisis that it is,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “By expanding research into the public health impacts of structural racism and requiring the federal government to develop anti-racist health policy, our bill is the type of responsive legislation the moment demands. I’m grateful to Senator Warren for her ongoing partnership as we continue working to dismantle centuries of racism in our public health system.”

    “For centuries, racism has denied Black and Brown mothers life-saving care during pregnancies and led to higher rates of chronic illness like diabetes and asthma,” said Senator Warren. “We’re renewing the fight to tackle racial disparities head-on and give everyone a chance at a healthy life.”

    In addition to researching of the impacts of structural racism on public health, the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act would:  

    • Create a “National Center for Anti-Racism” at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to declare racism as the public health crisis that it is and further develop the research base and knowledge of the science and practice of anti-racism. The Center would be responsible for:
      • Conducting research, collecting data, awarding grants, and providing leadership and coordination on the science and practice of anti-racism in the provision of health care, the public health impacts of systemic racism, and the effectiveness of interventions to address these impacts; 
      • Creating at least three regional centers of excellence in anti-racism; 
      • Educating the public on the public health impacts of structural racism and anti-racist public health interventions; 
      • Consulting with other Centers at the CDC to ensure that scientific and programmatic activities initiated by the agency consider structural racism in their designs, conceptualizations, and executions; and 
    • Create a Law Enforcement Violence Prevention Program within the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC. Physical and psychological violence perpetuated by law enforcement results in deaths, injuries, trauma, and stress, and disproportionately affects marginalized populations. This bill would take a public health approach to combating police brutality by creating a dedicated law enforcement violence prevention program at the CDC.

    In October 2022, as a result of the lawmakers’ introduction of the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act, HHS awarded $493,000 to the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) to support their efforts to address homelessness and substance use disorder policies that create or perpetuate health disparities and contribute to structural racism.

    Joining Pressley and Warren in introducing the Anti-Racism in Public Health Act are Representatives Joyce Beatty, Shontel Brown, André Carson, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Dwight Evans, Hank Johnson, Jennifer McClellan, Jerry Nadler, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Mark Pocan, Delia C. Ramirez, Jan Schakowsky, Terri Sewell, Adam Smith, Melanie Stansbury, Mark Takano, Bennie G. Thompson, Ritchie Torres, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Bonnie Watson Coleman.

    The legislation is endorsed by the following organizations: Columbia NOW, SC; Power to Decide; Public Citizen; National Council of Jewish Women; YW Boston; Physicians for a National Health Program; Center for Policing Equity; Justice in Aging; Feminist Women’s Health Center; Guttmacher Institute; Center for Reproductive Rights; Diversity Uplifts, Inc.; Every Mother Counts; Conference of Boston Teaching Hospitals; and Boston Medical Center.

    A copy of the bill text can be found here.

    In November 2022, Rep. Pressley, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission Dr. Bisola Ojikutu held a roundtable discussion with public health advocates to highlight the nearly $493,000 in new federal funding to help Boston address the public health impacts of structural racism.

    In October 2022, Rep. Pressley, Senator Warren, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee applauded the new funding for BPHC, which was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) alongside nine other grants to community organizations across the country. In total, HHS awarded over $4.8 million to support local efforts to address policies that may create or perpetuate health disparities and contribute to structural racism.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta: California Will Remain Unwavering in Our Commitment to Stand Against Trump’s Unlawful Removal of Gwynne Wilcox from the National Labor Relations Board

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Bonta today, alongside 23 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief to continue their support for Gwynne Wilcox, who is appealing her case against President Donald Trump’s unlawful attempt to remove her as a Member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the attorneys general maintain their steadfast support for Member Wilcox and urge the Court to affirm the summary judgment by the Court of Appeals, which blocked the President from removing Wilcox.

    On February 28, Attorney General Bonta, as part of a coalition of 20 attorneys general, filed his first amicus brief in Wilcox v. Trump in support of Gwynne Wilcox, who challenged the President’s unlawful removal of her position as a Member of the NLRB. Soon after, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued an order declaring that Member Wilcox should remain a full member of the NLRB and found the President’s action firing her to be “blatantly illegal.” The Trump administration appealed and asked for a stay to stop the ruling during the appeal, which would effectively allow her firing to take effect. The attorneys general filed another amicus brief, urging the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to deny the administration’s request for a stay. The federal appeals court ultimately denied the Administration’s request, and today’s brief supports Wilcox on the merits of her appeal.

    “Time and again, we are seeing the President’s continuous attempt to trample on workers’ rights,” said Attorney General Bonta. “My fellow attorneys general and I remain unwavering in our commitment to stand against the President’s unlawful removal of Member Wilcox from NLRB.”

    The NLRB is an independent federal agency that enforces U.S. labor laws related to workers’ rights, union representation, and collective bargaining. It oversees union elections, ensuring that employees can freely choose whether to be represented by a union. The Board also investigates and resolves unfair labor practice charges against employers and unions, addressing issues like retaliation, unlawful firings, and refusal to bargain in good faith. The NLRB also adjudicates disputes under the NLRA and issues rulings that shape labor law policies. To protect the NLRB from political pressure by the President, NLRB board members are appointed by the President and confirmed by Congress for staggered 5-year terms. Board members do not serve at the pleasure of the President. Federal law provides that Board members can only be removed by the President “upon notice and hearing, for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other cause.”  

    In the amicus brief, the attorneys general strongly support the affirmance of the summary judgment by the Court of Appeals, which blocked the President from removing Wilcox and highlight that the President violated the NLRA by unlawfully removing Wilcox from the Board. The attorneys general also lay out the detrimental implications of an incapacitated NLRB  should the Trump Administration not be prevented from taking away from American workers the entity that Congress authorized to ensure the ability to join a union and engage in collective bargaining, protections which workers have relied on for decades. This regulatory vacuum will be deeply troubling given the importance and scale of the work done by the NLRB. In the past decade, the NLRB reviewed nearly 3,000 allegations of unfair labor practices. 

    Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. 

    A copy of the brief can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Presses Energy Under Secretary Nominee on BPA Staff Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    04.10.25

    Cantwell Presses Energy Under Secretary Nominee on BPA Staff Cuts

    Bonneville Power Administration owns and operates about 80% of PacNW power lines; workforce reductions by Trump admin have eliminated hundreds of employees, including many powerline workers; Cantwell: “Do you believe the BPA workforce should be exempt from the current hiring freeze and future force reductions?”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, questioned Preston Wells Griffith III – President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as Under Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) – on the administration’s plans to cut additional staff at the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), even though BPA is funded by ratepayers not federal taxpayers.

    “I’m a big supporter of BPA and what it delivers in cost-based power. I think we need to give BPA more support, not less. They have committed to $5 billion in grid upgrades using borrowing authority this Committee approved as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure [Law]. I want to submit […] an article for the record written by former two former BPA leaders, Randy Hardy and Steve Wright, and I want to quote. They say, ‘we can say with confidence the level of risk now with the existing workforce reductions is unacceptably high, and at some point further reductions would make outages practically inevitable.’

    “So, that concerns me when two former BPA Administrators make those kind of statements. I appreciate that DOGE has already allowed the BPA to rehire some of those probationary employees, but I want to ask you, do you believe the BPA workforce should be exempt from the current hiring freeze and future force reductions?” Sen. Cantwell asked during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

    Griffith responded: “I obviously haven’t been confirmed, and don’t know — I’ve read similar reports, and I don’t think I saw that one that you submitted for the record, but should I be confirmed, I look forward to getting up to speed and prioritizing it. I worked in the last Trump Administration, the first one, and understand the important role that BPA and the Power Marketing Administrations, other PMAs, have in delivering affordable, reliable energy from our hydroelectric resources. And I’m committed to working with you and your office, this Committee, to do that should I be confirmed.”

    Sen. Cantwell: “Do you commit to articulate BPA’s safety and reliability role when considering any RIF [Reduction in Force] proposals?”

    Griffith: “Senator, again, I don’t know exactly what is happening in the Department or any discussions, but I will prioritize working with the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, and the rest of the team on this issue, if confirmed to—”

    Sen. Cantwell: “I’m just asking you whether you will raise safety and reliability roles. That’s a pretty easy –“

    Griffith: “Oh, safety and reliability are obviously very important to the grid, BPA, and all of the utilities and PMAs, and I think we’ll continue to prioritize the reliability, the security, and the resilience of our grid, including at the PMAs.”

    A video of her Q&A with Griffith can be watched HERE; audio is HERE; and a transcript is HERE.

    Sen. Cantwell has slammed the Trump Administration’s mass firings and hiring freezes as overbroad, dangerous to the public, precarious for our lands, and at times illegal.

    Last week, during another hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Sen. Cantwell also pressed James Danly and Katharine MacGregor – President Trump’s nominees to serve as DOE Deputy Secretary and Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior – on their commitments to not sell off public assets owned by Bonneville Power Administration after DOGE recently ordered the sale of the BPA Portland building. Video of that exchange is HERE.

    In July 2021, Sen. Cantwell authored and fought for passage of a bipartisan amendment that eventually resulted in a $10 billion increase in BPA’s borrowing authority being included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The measure allowed BPA to continue to borrow at low-interest rates at no ultimate cost to the taxpayer, so that Bonneville could move forward with the vital projects announced today. Sen. Cantwell’s amendment also linked expanded borrowing authority to new financial oversight requirements and opportunities for increased stakeholder engagement.

    Without Sen. Cantwell’s efforts, the borrowing authority would likely not have been established, industry insiders said at the time.

    In July 2023, BPA announced it would move forward with more than $2 billion worth of electricity grid improvement projects that will significantly increase the capacity and reliability of the Pacific Northwest grid and its ability to integrate new energy sources. In October 2024, BPA announced an additional $3 billion in grid updates.

    Bonneville’s generating and transmission portfolio consists primarily of emissions-free sources and is the backbone of an electricity system that is relied on by tens of millions of people throughout the Western United States. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the Pacific Northwest will need to add 56% more transmission capacity by 2040. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council calculates the region will need 3,500 megawatts of new renewable generation by 2027 and 14,000 additional megawatts by 2040. Sen. Cantwell has been a longtime champion of BPA and the cost-based power it helps provide the Pacific Northwest, and has successfully fended off multiple efforts to privatize BPA or increase regional electricity rates.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Young Introduce Bipartisan Adult Education WORKS Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – The latest results for U.S. adults on the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) are sobering.  Between  2017 and 2023 literacy and numeracy skills sank, with the percentage of adults at the lowest performance levels increasing from 19 to 28 percent in literacy and from 29 to 34 percent in numeracy. And, at current funding levels, adult education programs reach only an estimated 1.1 million people across the nation.
    In an effort to connect more Americans to adult education opportunities and boost our economy, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Todd Young (R-IN) today reintroduced the Adult Education Workforce Opportunity and Reskilling for Knowledge and Success Act (the Adult Education WORKS Act), to reauthorize adult education programs and expand upon the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-GA-6) is leading introduction of companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    A study commissioned by the Barbara Bush Foundation estimates that getting all American adults to the equivalent of a sixth-grade reading level would add $2.2 trillion to the country’s annual income. Without the opportunities provided by adult education programs — like numeracy, literacy, digital literacy, English language skills, soft skills, work readiness, high school equivalency, and other wraparound services — many adults will be left on the sidelines of an economy that needs more qualified workers in order to grow.
    The Adult Education WORKS Act provides a roadmap for addressing this crisis by updating WIOA and by strengthening and expanding access to adult education services. Specifically, the legislation calls for nearly doubling the authorized funding for adult education by 2030 to $1.35 billion while making significant changes to the adult education system. Critical for achieving success in modern workplaces and for navigating everyday life, the bill calls for a new emphasis on digital and information literacy. Furthermore, the legislation will help to enhance the role of adult education providers by ensuring representation in the workforce planning process, with a focus on college and career navigators in public libraries and community-based organizations.
    The Adult Education WORKS Act invests in the professionalization of the adult education field, strengthening state certification policies, encouraging full-time staffing models, and expanding professional development opportunities and career pathways for adult educators. Investments will enhance innovation and provide increased accountability through pilot projects that test new approaches to measuring program performance and outcomes for adult learners.
    “Strengthening adult education programs is essential to growing our economy and ensuring business owners have enough qualified workers. Adult education is the ticket to a more prosperous and successful life,” said Senator Reed.  “The Adult Education WORKS Act will help ensure that more Americans can access educational programs that will equip them with in-demand skills to take the opportunities that are available to them.” 
    “It’s critical that all Hoosiers have the tools necessary to succeed in the modern economy – and that starts with strengthening adult education,” said Senator Young. “Our bipartisan bill would bolster critical services for adult learners, while also making important updates that ensure participants are prepared for the 21st century workforce.”
    “With so many adults at low literacy and numeracy rates, it is crucial that we provide them an option to gain the skills they need to succeed,” said Rep. McBath. “No adult or family should be left on the sidelines, and the expertise available through these programs often mean the difference between a job that supports a family and struggling to make ends meet. The Adult Education WORKS Act will ensure that essential skills will be taught to adult learners nationwide. I thank my colleagues for their support on this bipartisan bill.”
    The Adult Education WORKS Act would amend Title I and reauthorize Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which was signed into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA was designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Congress passed the Act with a wide bipartisan majority and it was the first legislative reform of the public workforce system since 1998.
    The legislation is supported by the Coalition for Adult Basic Education (COABE), American Library Association (ALA), National Coalition for Literacy (NCL), National Skills Coalition, ProLiteracy, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), TESOL International Association, and the Urban Libraries Council.
    “Through investment and innovation, adult education is the solution to bridging the widening skills gap and ensuring American employers can fill open roles with qualified individuals. The bipartisan Adult Education WORKS Act would strengthen adult education and help equip millions of American adults with the literacy, numeracy, and digital and information literacy skills needed to secure in-demand jobs that provide family-sustaining wages. COABE is grateful for Senator Reed and Senator Young’s engagement with the adult education field to develop this bill and applauds them and Representative McBath for sponsoring it in the Senate and House of Representatives. COABE is proud to give its full support to the bipartisan Adult Education WORKS Act.” said Sharon Bonney, CEO of COABE.
    “Adult learners and programs would greatly benefit from the changes proposed to WIOA in the Adult Education WORKS Act. This bipartisan bill acknowledges the need for increased investment in adult education and includes key provisions to enhance professional development for educators, promote integrated education and training concurrently with other adult education activities and services, ensure adults learners gain critical digital and information literacy skills, and foster stronger coordination between workforce and adult education programs. By addressing these barriers within the WIOA system, the Adult Education WORKS Act ensures adults have access to the skills and guidance needed to move on to college or a career pathway.” said Shaketta Thomas, President of COABE.
    “Every day, library patrons turn to their local library for employment services and to make themselves more competitive in today’s job market. Librarians provide resources to the unemployed and underemployed to help their career goals become a reality” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “The bipartisan Adult Education Workforce Opportunity and Reskilling for Knowledge and Success Act (Adult Education WORKS Act) will address workforce challenges by updating the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to strengthen and expand access to adult education services. ALA strongly endorses the Adult Education WORKS Act.”
    “Adult Education is an essential lifeline for adults in the U.S. who lack sufficient foundational skills and are struggling to find meaningful employment and live productive, happy lives.  The Adult Education WORKS Act will improve the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) by:   promoting better coordination between the adult education and workforce development systems, increasing access to enhanced adult education services, and getting more of our lowest-skilled adults into education and training pathways.  Simply put, the Adult Education WORKS Act will provide the necessary skills, expand the employment opportunities and improve the lives of millions of adults in the U.S., which will result in a more skilled workforce, a stronger economy and healthier communities across America,” said Jeffrey A. Fantine, Ph.D., Executive Director of the National Coalition for Literacy.
    “TESOL International Association, on behalf of its members who proudly serve the English Language Teaching (ELT) profession, supports Senators Reed and Young’s Adult Education WORKS Act, as it strengthens and expands access to adult education services through WIOA for all adult learners, more than half of whom are multilingual learners of English seeking to better themselves, their communities, and their nation,” said Jeff Hutcheson, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy for TESOL.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Cortez Masto Reintroduce Legislation to Combat Organized Retail Theft

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to crack down on flash mob robberies and intricate retail theft schemes. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 would establish a coordinated multi-agency response and create new tools to tackle evolving trends in organized retail theft.

    “Retail crime has cost Iowa billions, and it’s even worse across the nation. Organized theft rings deploy innovative tactics to pilfer goods, and it’s causing financial harm to businesses, putting employees and consumers at risk and funding transnational criminal organizations throughout the world. It’s time for the law to catch up and prevent criminals from exploiting the internet and online marketplaces. Our bill improves the federal response to organized retail crime and establishes new tools to recover stolen goods and illicit proceeds, and deter future attacks on American retailers,” Grassley said.  

    “Large criminal organizations are constantly evolving their tactics to steal goods from retailers and the supply chain in communities across the Silver State,” said Cortez Masto. “The rise in organized retail crime has left businesses scrambling, and it is time for Congress to pass this bipartisan legislation to help law enforcement agencies keep our communities safe.” 

    According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), more than 84 percent of retailers report that violence and aggression from criminal activities has become more of a concern since 2022, resulting in injuries and deaths among employees, customers, security officers and law enforcement personnel. NRF also estimates that larceny incidents increased by 93 percent in 2023 compared to 2019. In recent years, criminal organizations have increasingly turned to retail crime to generate illicit profits, using internet-based tools to organize flash mobs, sell stolen goods and move money.  

    The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act would establish an Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center within the Department of Homeland Security that combines expertise from state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as retail industry representatives. The bill would also create new tools to assist in federal investigation and prosecution of organized retail crime, and help recapture lost goods and proceeds.

    Additional cosponsors include Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

    The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act is supported by the National Retail Federation (NRF), United Postal Service (UPS), Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), Association of American Railroads (AAR), Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC), International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), National District Attorneys Association (NDAA), American Trucking Associations, Retail Industry Leaders Association, Reusable Packaging Association (RPA), the Home Depot, Iowa Soybean Association and National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC).

    “NRF applauds Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., for their continued leadership to address one of retail’s biggest challenges, the rise of organized retail crime. ORC is a multibillion-dollar crisis impacting retailers, their associates and the customers they serve. ORC is occurring across the retail enterprise – supply chains, bricks-and-mortar stores, warehouses and online – with stolen product sold for a profit, oftentimes to fund other crimes. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 will align efforts within a new Organized Retail and Supply Chain Crime Coordination Center to ensure that resources and information-sharing will be available across local, state, federal and private-sector partners to bring cases and prosecutions against organized theft groups. This legislation is an important step to help prevent ORC from infiltrating local communities across the country,” said NRF Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French.

    “UPS supports the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act as it provides the necessary resources and coordination to protect the movement of American goods throughout our country while safeguarding the integrity of our national supply chain from rail to road, to retail,” said President of UPS Global Public Affairs Michael Kiely.

    “Organized cargo theft and fraud disrupt intermodal freight supply chains, risk the safety of our workforce, and harm the U.S. economy. The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) applauds Senator Grassley, Senator Cortez Masto, Congressman Joyce, and Congresswoman Lee for their leadership in championing critical legislation to address this urgent threat. The bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act will provide important resources to detect and fight organized crime throughout the supply chain, ensuring that our industry can continue delivering goods to American consumers safely and efficiently,” said Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) President & CEO Anne Reinke.

    “Highly motivated and sophisticated criminal networks continue to wreak havoc on communities, retailers and employees across America. They are targeting retailers through brazen organized retail crime schemes, defrauding customers via gift card scams and attacking our supply chains by hijacking our rails and truck shipments. Dismantling these organized criminal rings requires cooperation and collaboration. RILA applauds Sens. Grassley and Cortez Masto for their leadership and commitment to enacting the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), which brings federal, state, and local law enforcement together to intercept and prosecute these criminal enterprises. RILA looks forward to working with them to get this critical piece of legislation signed into law,” said Retail Industry Leaders Association Senior Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Michael Hanson.

    “Organized criminal operations continue to evolve and escalate their targeted attacks against our nation’s supply chain and retailers,” said Association of American Railroads President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “This alarming trend affects every industry — including the nation’s largest railroads, which experienced a 40% spike in cargo theft last year. Disrupting these organized crime networks requires a unified, federally led response. Chairman Grassley and Rep. Joyce’s bipartisan legislation provides the strategic framework necessary to disrupt these criminal networks and safeguard our supply chain.”

    “The trucking industry takes great pride in delivering America’s freight safely and on time; however, the billions of tons of goods transported by trucks from coast to coast have increasingly become a prime target for organized crime rings, including transnational organizations, putting truck drivers at risk and raising costs for consumers,” said American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear. “ATA commends this bipartisan group of leaders for addressing this alarming trend and safeguarding our supply chain. By empowering federal agencies to improve cooperation across jurisdictions and ramp up enforcement actions, this bill would strike an effective blow against organized crime.”

    “Across the United States, communities small and large are facing an unprecedented number of Organized Retail Crime (ORC) incidents. The Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act would provide the necessary resources to bring the people and organizations behind this nationwide problem to justice by establishing formal coordination between law enforcement and the private sector,” said ICSC President and CEO, Tom McGee. “We applaud Senators Grassley and Cortez Masto for reintroducing the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act. We believe the bill represents a huge step in the right direction towards addressing this growing issue.”

    “We welcome the bipartisan action led by Senators Grassley and Cantwell and Representatives Bacon, Gottheimer, Hurd and Meeks to reassert Congressional authority over the tariff process. While we support the Administration’s efforts to grow our economy, we also believe that Congress has a critical role to play in setting trade policy and has clear Article 1 authority to set duties and taxes,” said National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) Vice President for Global Trade Policy Tiffany Smith.

    Background:

    Grassley and Cortez Masto introduced similar legislation in 2022 and 2023. On Fight Retail Crime Day in 2023, Grassley held a press conference alongside the National Retail Federation and congressional cosponsors to push for passage of the legislation. 

    At a roundtable in Iowa, Grassley met with a group of local, state and federal officials to explore the shadowy ties between a spike in organized retail crime and the illicit drug trade.

    In December of 2021, Grassley called on the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security to prioritize a response to organized retail crimes.  

    Legislative text is available HERE. A summary of the bill is available HERE.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Bipartisan Colleagues Reignite Effort to Protect Law Enforcement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) today reintroduced legislation to protect law enforcement from ambush-style attacks. The bipartisan Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act would enhance information-gathering and fill gaps in the reporting requirements for attacks against law enforcement, while examining officers’ access to mental health resources.
    “Law enforcement officers in Iowa and across the nation put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. Our bipartisan bill takes an essential step towards protecting our brave men and women in blue and putting an end to these disgusting attacks,” Grassley said. 
    “Members of law enforcement help keep our communities safe and should be able to do their jobs without fear of being attacked. Through this legislation, the federal government will collect data on attacks and help us better understand motives and prevent them from happening. This is a critical effort to maintain positive relationships between law enforcement and those they serve,” Luján said.
    Additional cosponsors include Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.).
    View bill text HERE.
    Background:
    In 2023, law enforcement agencies reported over 79,000 police officers were assaulted and 60 were feloniously killed. While the government collects basic information on these attacks, including when the attack occurred and the types of weapons used, more information is needed to help prepare for, identify and prevent anti-police activity.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Naugatuck Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for $865,000 Embezzlement Scheme

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JENNIFER CORMIER, 45, of Naugatuck, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 25 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for embezzling approximately $865,000 from her employer.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Cormier was employed at a family-owned business (“Company A”) offering plumbing, heating, and air conditioning services in Naugatuck, where she performed bookkeeping and other office-related tasks.  Between approximately 2017 and July 2023, Cormier stole from her employer by fraudulently creating approximately 1,000 checks made payable to her and to “cash.”  She forged the signature of Company A’s owner or used the owner’s signature stamp on the checks, and then cashed them or deposited them into her personal bank account.  After the checks were issued, she deleted the transaction in Company A’s accounting system.  Through this scheme, Cormier embezzled $865,106.17.

    Judge Oliver ordered Cormier to make full restitution.

    On September 27, 2024, Cormier pleaded guilty to bank fraud.

    Cormier, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 9.

    This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naugatuck Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tampa Man Pleads Guilty To Fraudulently Spending More Than $300,000 In Covid Relief Funds

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Denys Perez (31, Tampa) has pleaded guilting to wire fraud related to COVID relief funds. Perez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. In addition, he faces a forfeiture order of $502,900, as well as a forfeiture order for the property he purchased with proceeds of his offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, between September 2021 and January 2022, Perez applied for COVID relief funds through the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Based on the information submitted by Perez, he was awarded $502,900 in EIDL funds. As part of the application process, Perez certified he would use all the EIDL proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate the economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Contrary to this certification, Perez fraudulently spent more than $300,000 of his EIDL on personal expenses, including the purchase of a house.  

    In May 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. 

    This case was investigated by the Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn E. Hoenemeyer.

    To report a COVID-related fraud scheme or suspicious activity, contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by calling the NCDF Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Foreign Nationals Arrested for Possessing Firearm in Mayfield, Kentucky

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Paducah, KY – A federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant was issued this week charging two illegal aliens with possession of a firearm.    

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, and Chief Nathan Kent of the Mayfield Police Department made the announcement.

    According to the complaint, Rodrigo Waldemar Caal-Caal, age 22, a citizen of Guatemala, and Rodolfo Ruiz-Hernandez, age 26, a citizen of Mexico, were charged with possessing a firearm on April 6, 2025, in Mayfield, Kentucky knowing they were aliens illegally and unlawfully in the United States. Caal-Caal and Ruiz-Hernandez admitted to possessing a firearm by removing it from the scene of a death investigation in Mayfield on April 6, 2025. The Mayfield Police Department continues to investigate the death. Both defendants are separately charged in state court with additional offenses.

    This case is being investigated by the ATF Paducah Satellite Office, HSI Paducah Office, and the Mayfield Police Department.

    Both defendants remain state custody and will make initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky at a later date. If convicted on the charges in the complaint, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth A. Hancock, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the cases.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Offerings and Registrations of Securities in the Crypto Asset Markets

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    As part of an effort to provide greater clarity on the application of the federal securities laws to crypto assets,[1] the Division of Corporation Finance is providing its views[2] about the application of certain disclosure requirements under the federal securities laws to offerings and registrations of securities in the crypto asset markets. These offerings and registrations may involve equity or debt securities of issuers whose operations relate to networks, applications, and/or crypto assets. These offerings and registrations also may relate to crypto assets offered as part of or subject to an investment contract (such a crypto asset, a “subject crypto asset”).[3] The Division recognizes that Acting Chairman Mark T. Uyeda formed the Crypto Task Force to help the Commission develop a comprehensive and clear regulatory framework for crypto assets, including addressing applicable registration and disclosure requirements.[4] The Division is issuing this statement to provide its views during the pendency of these deliberations.

    The disclosures required in connection with offerings and registrations under the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”) and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) protect investors, facilitate capital formation, and promote fair, orderly, and efficient markets. In recent years, some issuers in the crypto asset markets have registered or qualified[5] offerings of securities under the Securities Act or registered a class of securities under the Exchange Act. This statement reflects our observations regarding disclosures provided in response to existing disclosure requirements. It also addresses our views about certain specific disclosure questions that market participants have presented to the staff. While disclosures should be based on an issuer’s specific facts and circumstances, we believe that issuers may benefit from the identification of common issues we have identified during our reviews.

    This statement addresses our views about certain disclosure requirements set forth in Regulation S-K as they apply to Securities Act registration forms (such as Form S-1) and Exchange Act registration forms (such as Form 10).[6] This statement also addresses our views about certain disclosure requirements of Form 20-F when used by foreign private issuers to register classes of securities under the Exchange Act, and Form 1-A for offerings exempt from registration under Regulation A.[7] This statement does not address all material disclosure items, and the disclosure topics addressed below may not be relevant for all issuers. Each issuer should consider its own facts and circumstances when preparing its disclosures. Each issuer also should consider whether it is permitted to provide “scaled disclosure” with respect to any applicable disclosure requirements.[8] Moreover, issuers should note that disclosure is not required where a particular disclosure requirement is not applicable, or they otherwise do not have responsive information.[9]

    In this statement, we sometimes address the same or similar disclosure items in more than one place. This should not be read to suggest providing duplicative disclosure in multiple places throughout filings. Rather, issuers should use their judgment in determining the location for any relevant disclosures.

    Description of Business

    SEC rules require issuers to provide a narrative description of the material aspects of their business.[10] Issuers are required to disclose information material to an understanding of the general development of their business, and, in the case of the business done and intended to be done by the issuer, only information material to an understanding of the business taken as a whole (or with respect to each segment, if applicable).[11]

    Disclosure should be tailored to the issuer’s business and presented in clear, concise, and understandable language, without overly relying on technical terminology or jargon. For example, we have observed disclosure that:

    • Specifically relates to the material aspects of the issuer’s current or proposed business, rather than to crypto networks, crypto assets, or other technologies that are not specific or material to the issuer’s current or proposed business.
    • Addresses the current stage of development of the business and clearly delineates any forward-looking or future plans of development.
    • Is consistent with the issuer’s public statements and promotional materials (including, without limitation, white papers, and developer documentation) relating to material aspects of the business.

    We also have observed the following disclosure with respect to current or proposed business plans:

    • The issuer’s specific business activity, such as operating or developing a network or application, and the current stage of development of the business.
    • Whether the issuer intends to continue to operate the business following the launch of a network or application, and, if so, a description of the issuer’s contemplated business activities. If not, a description of how the business will be operated following launch and whether another entity will be involved in such operations.
    • To the extent the business has not been fully implemented, milestones (including technology development milestones) needed to fully implement the business.
    • How the issuer generates or expects to generate revenue or increase profitability and/or value.
    • Whether the security or crypto asset has any function(s) in the operation of the business, including whether it has any intended use or role in an associated network or application.

    Where an issuer is developing or acquiring or intending to develop or acquire a network or application, we have observed issuers tailoring their disclosure to provide a narrative description of the purpose of the network or the application, and its operation, including the following:

    • Whether the initial development team is developing a network and/or application and/or a crypto asset for the network or application.
    • The current state and timeline for the development of the network and/or application to show how and when the initial development team intends to achieve network maturity or deploy the application.
    • Milestones needed to fully develop the network, application, and/or crypto asset, including an estimated timeline, the estimated costs to reach key milestones, and the source of funds for the development of the network, application, and/or crypto asset.
    • The objectives of the network and how the technology of the network or application functions and accomplishes its objectives, including its architecture, software, cryptographic key management, and functionality.
    • Whether the technology is derived from proprietary or open-sourced software, and a description of any licenses or intellectual property rights relating to the technology.
    • The process for validating transactions, the consensus mechanism, the block size, the transaction speed, the transaction (or “gas”) fees, and reward mechanism, if any.
    • A description of any products and services that will be offered through the network and/or application.
    • The various roles that exist or are intended to exist in connection with the network and/or application, such as users, onchain[12]  and offchain[13] service providers, developers, transaction validators, and governance participants.
    • The process of how network and application upgrades and updates are disclosed, proposed, developed, reviewed, and ultimately deployed.
    • The measures, if any, taken to ensure network and/or application security.
    • A description of the network or application’s governance system, as applicable.

    Risk Factors

    SEC rules require a discussion of the material factors that make an investment in the registrant or the offering speculative or risky.[14] In the context of offerings and registrations of securities in the crypto asset markets, the content and scope of an issuer’s disclosure will depend on the nature of the security and the issuer’s business, and may include factors that address the development and implementation of the issuer’s business and the particular characteristics of the security, such as its features, price volatility, limited rights of holders, valuation and liquidity risks, technological risks, cybersecurity risks, business, operational, and network risks, and legal and regulatory risks. Disclosure should address risks relating to an associated network or application if material.

    The following are examples of risks that have been disclosed:

    • Risks relating to the issuer’s planned business operations, such as risks relating to technology and cybersecurity, and implementation of the issuer’s business, as well as reliance on another network or application.
    • Risks relating to the security, such as the risks relating to any unique characteristics of the security including its form, price volatility, the rights of holders or their lack of rights, valuation and liquidity, supply, and custody.
    • Risks related to other applicable laws and regulations, such as whether the issuer’s activities may require it to register with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network or certain state financial services agencies under money transmission laws, or to register with another regulatory authority, such as federal or state banking regulators or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

    Description of Securities

    SEC rules require an issuer to provide a materially complete description of its securities.[15] The specific disclosure depends on the particular type of security, with these rules setting forth requirements for specifically identified types of securities, such as traditional capital stock and debt securities. These rules also include a general category for securities that are not specifically identified, referring to them as “other securities” or “other kinds of securities.” In the context of offerings and registrations of securities in the crypto asset markets, we have observed disclosure where issuers have considered how this requirement applies in the context of their particular security, such as where an offering or registration involves a subject crypto asset. In these cases, issuers have provided a description of the terms, rights, and characteristics of the security in their specific context. It is important for investors to understand what the security represents.

    Examples of disclosure we have observed in the context of describing a security in the crypto asset markets include, among others, the following:

    Rights, Obligations, and Preferences

    • How the rights of holders and characteristics of the security are memorialized, how such rights and characteristics convey when the security is transferred, and whether, when and by whom such rights and characteristics can be modified.
    • The rights that holders have and do not have, such as with respect to dividends, payments, profit sharing, distributions, and voting rights, as well as the rights holders have to enforce their rights, preferences, and obligations.
    • If the holders have voting rights, how the issuer intends to comply with applicable proxy rules.
    • The rights that holders have and do not have with respect to transactions that impact the issuer or the network, such as liquidation, bankruptcy, sale, merger, network forks or other similar events.
    • The characteristics of the security, such as term, maturity, restrictions on transferability, how the security or subject crypto asset can be accessed, held and transferred, redeemed, retired, or burned, whether the security can be loaned or pledged and by whom, and whether the security will be certificated or uncertificated, and eligible for deposit at a securities depository.

    Technical Specifications

    • The network or application associated with the security or subject crypto asset, and whether the underlying code can be modified, how, when, and by whom, and what effect(s) that may have on the rights of a holder of the security or subject crypto asset.
    • The technical requirements for holding, accessing and transferring the security or subject crypto asset, such as the requirements and characteristics as to wallets and keys, whether the wallet addresses of the sender and receiver must be included in an approved list of participants, and any network transaction fees required for the transfer of the security or subject crypto asset and who is responsible for those fees.
    • Where the definitive record of ownership exists and who maintains it.
    • Whether the security or subject crypto asset is divisible, and, if so, whether there are any limits on its division.
    • Whether the security or subject crypto asset and the smart contract(s) and/or code on which it is/are based, if applicable, have been subjected to a third-party security audit (i.e., an independent assessment to identify vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with industry standards), and if, so who conducted the audit and the results of the audit.

    Supply

    • The rules governing the total supply of the security or subject crypto asset, including the total supply, whether it is fixed at a maximum possible supply, the method for minting or generating the security or subject crypto asset, whether the supply will be created at initial generation or continuously or from time to time, whether there is a process for redeeming, retiring, freezing or burning the security or subject crypto asset, whether any of the supply is reserved for the network’s treasury, particular uses or participants, and whether any portion of the supply is subject to vesting and/or lock-ups.
    • Whether any entity or person (or group of persons) is responsible for implementing rules governing the total supply and/or has the authority or ability to change the rules.
    • Whether the issuer intends to enter into any arrangements with market makers or similar firms to distribute and/or provide liquidity for the security or a subject crypto asset and the terms of such arrangement.

    If the issuer’s business involves crypto assets that themselves are not securities, whether offered as part of or subject to an investment contract or otherwise, similar disclosures, if material, may be relevant to the section of the registration or offering statement discussing the issuer’s business.[16]

    Directors, Executive Officers, and Significant Employees

    SEC rules require disclosure of information relating to the identity and experience of those entrusted with the management of the issuer, including executive officers, directors, and certain significant employees who are (or are expected) to make a significant contribution to the issuer’s business.[17] SEC rules also require such disclosure for persons who do not hold formal titles or positions as executive officers or directors but who perform policy-making functions typically performed by executive officers or perform similar functions as directors.[18] Further, if a third party is performing the policy-making functions typically performed by executive officers and directors, we have observed disclosure addressing the third party that satisfies the applicable disclosure requirements. For example, certain trusts – such as the spot crypto exchange-traded products – have a sponsor with directors and executive officers who perform functions similar to directors or executive officers of the trust. In these cases, disclosure has been provided with respect to the directors or executive officers of the sponsor. Although disclosure regarding executive compensation of the issuer would not be applicable in this situation,[19] disclosure may be required of any fees paid to the third party for performing such functions.[20]

    Financial Statements

    SEC rules require issuers to provide financial statements that comply with applicable requirements.[21] Issuers with requests for assistance regarding the form and content of financial statements and other financial information required to be included in Commission filings should contact the Division’s Office of Chief Accountant.[22] Issuers may also consult with the SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant on accounting and financial reporting questions, especially those involving unusual, complex, or innovative transactions.[23]

    Exhibits

    SEC rules require an issuer to file as an exhibit any instrument defining the rights of security holders.[24] In connection with offerings and registrations of securities in the crypto asset markets, to the extent that the rights, preferences, and obligations of holders of the securities are memorialized in smart contract(s) or otherwise programmed into the code of a network or application, we have observed filings include as an exhibit the code of the smart contract(s) and/or the network or application, with the issuer updating any such exhibit in response to subsequent changes in such code.[25]

    Contacting the Division

    The Division welcomes questions about the application of the SEC’s disclosure rules to offerings and registrations, as well as any ongoing reporting obligations. We also welcome requests for other assistance (including requests for interpretive or no-action letters) relating to these issues and questions. Information about how to contact the Division is available on our website.[26]

     

    [1]     For purposes of this statement, a “crypto asset” is an asset that is generated, issued, and/or transferred using a blockchain or similar distributed ledger technology network (“crypto network”), including, but not limited to, assets known as “tokens,” “digital assets,” “virtual currencies,” and “coins,” and that relies on cryptographic protocols. References in this statement to “network” refer to a crypto network, and references to “application” refer to an application running on such a crypto network.

    [2]     This statement represents the views of the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance (the “Division”). It is not a rule, regulation, guidance, or statement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission” or “SEC”), and the Commission has neither approved nor disapproved its content. This statement, like all staff statements, has no legal force or effect: it does not alter or amend applicable law, and it creates no new or additional obligations for any person.

    [3]     Nothing in this statement is intended to suggest that registration or qualification is required in connection with an offering of a crypto asset if the crypto asset is not a security and not part of or subject to an investment contract.

    [5]     Offerings of securities in the crypto asset markets can be, and have been, qualified under Regulation A.

    [6]     See 17 C.F.R. §229.10 et seq. Form F-1 is a Securities Act registration form that can be used by foreign private issuers. Certain of the disclosure topics discussed in this statement may apply differently to foreign private issuers using Form F-1

    [7]     See 17 C.F.R. §239.90. Form 20-F is an Exchange Act form that can be used by foreign private issuers. Certain of the disclosure topics discussed in this statement may apply differently to foreign private issuers using Form 20-F and issuers conducting exempt offerings using Form 1-A.

    [8]     Scaled disclosure refers to disclosure accommodations that the federal securities laws sometimes provide for smaller or newly public companies, such as smaller reporting companies, non-accelerated filers, or emerging growth companies. These accommodations apply to a qualifying company’s registered offerings and its ongoing public company reporting. Scaled disclosure permits these companies to provide less extensive disclosure than other companies.

    [9]     See, e.g., Rule 404(c) under the Securities Act, and General Instruction II.B. of Form S-1, and General Instruction C of Form 20-F. For example, disclosure regarding dilution to stockholders, market price and dividends, and certain other stockholder matters only is required if the securities being offered are equity securities. See Items 201 and 506 of Regulation S-K, Items 8.A., 9.E., and 10 of Form 20-F, and Items 4 and 7 of Part II of Form 1-A. In addition, disclosure regarding properties only is required where issuers have material physical properties. See Item 102 of Regulation S-K, Item 4.D. of Form 20-F, and Item 8 of Part II of Form 1-A.

    [10]     See Item 101 of Regulation S-K, Item 4 of Form 20-F, and Item 7 of Part II of Form 1-A.

    [11]     The SEC, upon written request of the registrant and where consistent with the protection of investors, may permit the omission of any required information relating to the issuer’s business or the furnishing in substitution thereof of appropriate information of comparable character. See Instruction 3 to Item 101 of Regulation S-K.

    [12]     An “onchain” transaction occurs directly on a network and is validated in accordance with the protocol of the network, with the transaction recorded on the network’s public ledger.

    [13]     An “offchain” transaction occurs outside the network where the parties agree that a third party will validate and authenticate the transaction.

    [14]     See Item 105 of Regulation S-K, Item 3.D of Form 20-F, and Item 3 of Part II of Form 1-A.

    [15]     See Item 202 of Regulation S-K, Item 12 of Form 20-F, and Item 14 of Part II of Form 1-A.

    [16]     See footnote 10 above and accompanying text.

    [17]     See Item 401 of Regulation S-K, Items 1 and 6 of Form 20-F, and Item 10 of Part II of Form 1-A.

    [18]     See Rule 405 under the Securities Act and Rule 3b-7 under the Exchange Act. As noted above, disclosure is not required where a particular disclosure requirement is not applicable, or the issuer otherwise does not have responsive information. For example, certain trusts do not have a board of directors or persons performing similar functions and, therefore, do not provide disclosure regarding members of a board of directors.

    [19]     See Item 402 of Regulation S-K, Item 6 of Form 20-F, and Item 11 of Part II of Form 1-A.

    [20]     See Item 404 of Regulation S-K, Item 7 of Form 20-F, and Item 13 of Part II of Form 1-A.

    [21]     See Item 11 of Form S-1, Items 8, 17, and 18 of Form 20-F, and Part F/S of Form 1-A.

    [22]     See footnote 26 below and accompanying text.

    [24]     See Item 601 of Regulation S-K, Item 19 of Form 20-F, and Part III of Form 1-A.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Columbia, Missouri, Man Who Fled to Mexico and Faked His Own Death Sentenced to 10 Years for Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A former Columbia Missouri, man has been sentenced in federal court for receiving and possessing child pornography.

    Diego Antonio Rafael Camargo-Wasserman, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven R. Bough on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Carmargo-Wasserman to 10 years of supervised release following  his release from custody. Carmargo-Wasserman will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.

    On August 8, 2024, Camargo-Wasserman pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

    The investigation began on July 1, 2010, as part of an ongoing investigation into the distribution of child pornography over the internet.  During a search warrant execution, Camargo-Wasserman admitted to using Limewire to download child pornography.  Multiple videos depicting child pornography were found on Camargo-Wasserman’s cell phone.  Camargo-Wasserman was previously indicted on federal charges for this offense in 2010, however in 2013, a bail bond agent provided documentation from Mexico stating Camargo-Wasserman had died on October 5, 2012.  Federal charges were dismissed.

    In July 2017, the FBI received information that Camargo-Wasserman was alive and was residing in Mexico. Federal charges were filed again in 2018 followed by extradition proceedings to return Camargo-Wasserman to the United States.  Camargo-Wasserman was brought to the United States to face charges in 2024. Camargo-Wasserman is a dual citizen of both the United States and Mexico.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

    Project Safe Childhood

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kansas Realtor Indicted for Tax Evasion and COVID-19 Loan Program Fraud

    Source: US State of Vermont

    A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment yesterday charging a Kansas woman with tax evasion and wire fraud.

    The indictment alleges that Michelle O’Connor, of Louisburg, owned and operated a realty company based in the Kansas City metro area. For tax years 2008 through 2015, O’Connor filed federal income tax returns, self-reporting that she owed approximately $300,000 in taxes. Despite acknowledging she owed the taxes, O’Connor did not pay them. In 2011, the IRS audited her 2008 and 2009 tax returns and concluded that O’Connor had improperly claimed tens of thousands of dollars in personal expenses as charitable deductions to the “Church of Revelation and Love,” a purported church she and her husband created and were, along with her family, its primary members. Based on that audit, the IRS assessed over $40,000 in additional taxes against O’Connor.  

    Starting in 2011, the IRS began trying to collect the outstanding taxes from O’Connor, sending her over 50 notices regarding them. From 2011 through 2023, however, Michelle O’Connor tried to stymy the IRS’s collections efforts by, among other things, filing three separate false and frivolous bankruptcy petitions, purchasing approximately $250,000 of cashier’s checks to reduce her bank account balances, and closing her personal bank accounts and using her business’ bank accounts to pay personal expenses.

    By 2020, O’Connor owed the IRS nearly $500,000 in taxes, penalties, and interest.

    In 2020, O’Connor submitted 34 fraudulent COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications on behalf of her real estate business and seven other corporate entities she created for the purpose of maximizing potential EIDL credits. Under the EIDL program, a small business could receive a loan of up to $150,000 from the Small Business Administration to cover six months of working capital. In total, O’Connor received nearly $300,000 from her fraudulent EIDLs, which she used for personal purposes, including $115,000 to purchase cryptocurrency.

    If convicted, O’Connor faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Dominick Giovanniello and Robert Kemins of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Blow up Power Plants

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Justin Horton, 40, of Stockton, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conveying false information and hoaxes, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that on the evening of May 13, 2024, Horton called National Grid and stated “I’m calling to call a bomb threat into you. I’m going to blow up both of your nuclear power plants by the end of next week.” Horton specified that he was referring to nuclear power plants located in New York and Pennsylvania. The defendant did not have the means or intent to carry out the threat to bomb two nuclear facilities.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto.

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 15, 2025, before Judge Vilardo.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Christopher G. Raia Named Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Director Kash Patel has named Christopher G. Raia as the assistant director in charge of the New York Field Office. He most recently served as a deputy assistant director in the Counterterrorism Terrorism Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

    Mr. Raia joined the FBI as a special agent in 2003 and reported to the Texas City Resident Agency, a satellite office of the Houston Field Office. Mr. Raia spent 10 years investigating violent crime, gangs, drugs, and white-collar crime at the resident agency and served as the coordinator of the Safe Streets Task Force.

    In 2012, Mr. Raia reported to FBI Headquarters as a supervisory special agent to serve as a program manager in the International Terrorism Operations Section of the Counterterrorism Division. Mr. Raia oversaw all international terrorism cases in the Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas, Texas; Jackson, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama, field offices.

    Mr. Raia was promoted in 2014 to senior supervisory resident agent at the Bryan/College Station Resident Agency of the Houston Field Office, where he oversaw all national security and programs. In 2020, he was named the assistant special agent in charge of the Houston Field Office’s Violent Crime Branch and then of its National Security Branch in 2021.

    In 2023, Mr. Raia was selected to serve as the chief of staff for the executive assistant director of the National Security Branch at FBI Headquarters. Mr. Raia managed strategic initiatives, supervised executive staff, and directed communications projects. In addition, he coordinated major projects for external entities, such as Congress and the White House.

    Mr. Raia was promoted to deputy assistant director in the Counterterrorism Division at Headquarters in 2024 and oversaw all international counterterrorism program-management for the FBI.

    Mr. Raia graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and served as a Coast Guard officer in Florida before joining the FBI.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan National Arrested For Illegally Possessing Firearm After Shots Fired From Vehicle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the arrest of Elmer Gustabo Vasquez-Lopez (19, Guatemala) on a criminal complaint charging him with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. If convicted, Vasquez-Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.

    According to the complaint, on March 30, 2025, the Palmetto Police Department responded to a call for service regarding shots fired on 14th Street in Palmetto. An officer from the Palmetto Police witnessed gunshots from a vehicle, and officers arrested the vehicle’s occupants, including Vasquez-Lopez. The occupants were arrested on state charges and two firearms were seized from the vehicle. The next day, Vasquez-Lopez admitted to agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that he had shot one of the firearms recovered from the vehicle and that he was a Guatemalan national. A review of Vasquez-Lopez’s immigration history showed that the U.S. Border Patrol previously arrested Vasquez-Lopez as an inadmissible alien and that he is in removal proceedings.

    A complaint is merely a formal allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Palmetto Police Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Faces Federal Gun Charge After Allegedly Possessing ‘Giggle Switch’ Modified Glock

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Robert Calvin Corbin III, 45, a four-time previously convicted felon from Washington D.C., has been indicted on a federal firearm charge as part of the “Make D.C. Safe Again” initiative. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Make D.C. Safe Again is a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District of Columbia. This initiative was created to address gun violence in the District, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenders, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

                Corbin was indicted for unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon. On April 4, U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh ordered Corbin to be held pre-trial.

                According to court documents, police officers were called to investigate a report of a large group of individuals gambling with guns present near the 100 block of Q Street, NW. As the officers arrived at the scene, Corbin allegedly was smoking marijuana and drinking tequila from a plastic cup. An officer stopped Corbin for public consumption of marijuana and possession of an open container of alcohol. As the officer conducted a pat down, the officer felt a hard object in Corbin’s waistband and asked what the object was. Corbin responded, “nothing,” then allegedly attempted to shove the officer’s hands away and grabbed toward the officer. The officer and Corbin struggled. Police eventually cuffed Corbin.

                It is alleged that officers recovered a Glock 19 equipped with a laser sight and loaded with one bullet in the chamber and an additional 19 rounds in a large-capacity magazine. The firearm also had been modified with a “giggle switch,” a small device that converts a traditional handgun into a fully automatic machine gun. It is further alleged that during a search incident to arrest, police discovered a second large-capacity magazine with an additional 17 rounds of ammunition in Corbin’s bag.

                Corbin was placed under arrest for possession of a machine gun, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of unregistered ammunition, possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of a large capacity feeding device, felon in possession, and possession of an open container of alcohol. He is now charged in federal court with violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(1) (Unlawful Possession of Firearm or Ammunition By a Person Convicted of a Crime Punishable by Imprisonment for a Term Exceeding One Year).

                The ATF and MPD are investigating this case. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti.

               An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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